As he leads in cash, pro-Harris ads emerge

OSHKOSH - As State Senate Candidate Mark Harris leads his Republican opponent in fundraising, a new "dark money" group has emerged, spending thousands on TV ads in his favor.

Harris, in a campaign finance report this week, both raised and held more in his coffers than Republican Dan Feyen, between July 26 and Aug. 31. Meanwhile, a new Democratic issue group, Prosperity for Everyday People, has spent more than $350,000 in television ads between Aug. 29 and Oct. 10 that tout Harris as fiscally savvy during his years as Winnebago County Executive.

Democrats see the race between Harris, of Oshkosh, and Feyen, of Fond du Lac, as a key seat to narrow a 19-14 Republican State Senate majority. Two "dark money" groups — called this because they are not required to disclose funding sources — have spent more than $500,000 on the 18th district contest, thought to be the state's most competitive senate race this cycle.

Reached for comment Wednesday, Feyen said he's surprised by outside spending in the race. This money, though, does not change his tactics, he said.

"It's politics, it's just the way it is," Feyen said, adding that he'll continue doing all he can to reach voters. "I'm up on radio, TV. I'm out there knocking on doors and meeting people."

The Harris campaign raised $34,952 during a period between July 26 and Aug. 31. His campaign ended this reporting period with $132,189, according to a report released Tuesday. In the same period, Feyen raised $27,083 and had $19,656 in his coffers at the end of August, according to his report, filed Monday.

This latest dark money group, Prosperity for Everyday People, is registered as a 501(c)4 organization, exempting it from disclosing its funding sources, unlike Political Action Committees (PACs).

The group, in a statement to the Wisconsin State Journal, said it is “advancing policies that will help everyday people prosper, specifically the promotion of fair taxation and fiscal responsibility, good-paying jobs and increased wages, and proper treatment for our veterans and seniors.”

In addition to ads supporting Harris, the group inquired about taking out ads mentioning State Sen. Luther Olsen, on the topic of "veterans care," according to an FCC document. Olsen faces re-election this November from Democrat and Waupaca Mayor Brian Smith.

Prosperity for Everyday People isn't the first dark money group to contribute to this race. Ahead of the Aug. 9 primary election, nonprofit issue-group Wisconsin Freedom Alliance spent about $150,500 on ads in Green Bay smearing Feyen's GOP opponent, former Oshkosh pastor Mark Elliott. Feyen beat Elliot by a 12 percent margin in the primary election.

Harris said his fundraising lead so far in the race may be due in-part to name recognition from a prior run for Congress. He wasn't aware, he said, that Prosperity for Everyday People was mounting an ad buy in his favor. With a competitive race ahead, Harris said more ads, for and against him could be coming.

“I can’t have any influence on how these groups spend money,” Harris said. “By the end of the election, (Feyen and I are) liable to be the most-hated people in Wisconsin.”